"A bandit from the same group as Tauemon. He believes that chivalrous bandits will never amount to anything in battle and began a rebellion among his group. In the chaos, Myrthe and the children, whom Ishimaru kidnapped to be sold as slaves, escaped his grasp." [1][2]
Story
At the very beginning of the game, Ishimaru is in charge of a group of bandits that Tauemon was a part of. He did this by killing Kaimaru's father right in front of him, and forcing the remainig bandits to follow his lead. Either by stubbornness or by will, he followed Tauemon, Myrthe, and the children to the bridge connecting the Lowly Realm to the Lofty Realm. Tauemon was ready to defend the group from returning to a life of slavery, which Ishimaru scoffed at, considering Tauemon not to be a real samurai. Fortunately for Tauemon and the group, a drunk and bored Sakuna wandered onto the bridge, having wandered off from the banquet of the gods. Ishimaru insults her, calling her a child, to which Sakuna kicks him off the bridge into the clouds, sending him to Hinoe Island in the Lofty Realm.
Due to the bridge being in a place where time is always in flux, he arrived long before Sakuna and the other humans. By some twist of fate, he found Omizuchi resting deep underground, and recognizing the same hatred and need to destroy, they made a deal. Ishimaru would heal Omizuchi's wounds in exchange for demon power. He rose through the ranks, becoming the "leader" of the demons. While Omizuchi rested, Ishimaru organized the demons and gained control over the island, slaying nearly all of the Ashigumo clan and set up an impressive keep.
Sakuna defeats him in his fortress in Direhaze Keep only for Omizuchi to awaken and rise from his slumber, causing the volcano to erupt. While Sakuna wants to kill Ishimaru for his insolence, her promise to Tauemon spares her from doing so, letting Ishimaru escape.
Sakuna eventually defeats him again at Direhaze keep; after talking to Tauemon at the house later on and trying to abduct Kaimaru, he hurts Kaimaru, and is chased down by Ashigumo as well as specters from the Ashigumo clan. It is implied this is where Ishimaru meets his end.
Trivia[]
- Ishimaru's name means "son of a mason"[3]
- Like Tauemon, his name is a pseudonym, though nobody knows Ishimaru's real name. He took this name to indicate a desire for revenge for the slaughter of his family during the war.[3]
- One reference given for Ishimaru's design was Saburo, a thief from the Shonen Sunday published manga series Masurao: Hihon Yoshitsune-ki.[3]
| Characters | |
|---|---|
| Main Cast | |
| Supporting Cast | Ashigumo • The Kappa • Kokorowa • Lady Kamuhitsuki • Omizuchi • Lord Takeribi • Lady Toyohana • Ishimaru
|
References:
- ↑ http://sakunaofriceandruin.com/characters/ishimaru/
- ↑ https://www.marv.jp/special/game/sakuna/character/detail/?chara=11
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin Artworks